CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter firstly explains the background of the study, the significance of
the study, research questions, the aim of the study, and also the scope of the study.
Moreover, the clarification of some terms used in the study and the organization of
paper will be presented and explained in the end of this chapter.
1.1 Background of the Study
Today, translation is very important in many aspects. Newmark (1988, p. 10)
stated that translation is now used to transmit knowledge, understanding, and culture
between groups and nations. He also declared that translation is rendering the
meaning of a text from one language into another language in accordance with the
intention of the translator. It is also supported by Hatim and Munday (2004, p. 6) who
amplified that translation is the process of transferring a written text from source
language (SL) to target language (TL). Followed by Kelly (2005, p. 26-27), who
defined translation as the skill of understanding the source language (SL) and render
it in the target language (TL) by using the register, the background knowledge, and
other language resources according to the intended purpose. From the definitions
mentioned above, it can be concluded that translation is a process of conveying the
text from source language (SL) into target language (TL) in which the meaning of
source language should be equivalent with the target language (TL).
Translation can be separated into two types; literary translation and audio
visual translation (AVT) (Reich, 2006, p. 7). According to Kolawole and Adewuni
Meanwhile Chiaro (2009) described audiovisual translation is transferring written
text from one language to another of the verbal components contained in audiovisual
works and products. On audio visual translation (AVT), there are two major types
exist; dubbing and subtitling (Jaskanen, 1999, p. 8). Cintas (2003, p. 195) explained
that dubbing is replacing the original dialogue from the actor with the target language
(TL) spoken by dubber —people who do dubbing—at the same time, thus voice of
dubber synchronized with the lip movements of the actor. The aim of dubbing stated
by Dries (1995, p. 9) is to make the audiences feel as if they were listening to what
actors actually speaking.
Therefore, O'Connell ( 2007, p. 125) declared that subtitling is supplementing
the original voice soundtrack by adding written text on screen and dubbing is
replacing the original voice soundtrack with another voice in another language.
According to Luyken as quoted in Georgakopoulou (2009, p. 14), subtitle is defined
as condensed written translation of original dialogue from a movie.
Subtitling and dubbing which are defined by Baker & Hochel (1998, p. 74) is
as follows:
Subtitling is visual, involving the superimposition of a written text onto the
screen. Dubbing, on the other hand, is oral; it is one of a number of
translation methods which makes use of the acoustic channel in screen
translation (1998, p. 74).
From those definitions, it can be concluded that dubbing is changing the
dialogue spoken by the actor in the original language into the target language.
Whereas subtitling is communication from one language to another and from the
dialogue spoken by an actor in a film into written form, and then displayed on the
In term of linguistic viewpoint, Jakobson (cited in Spanakaki, 2007, p. 7)
divided subtitling into two types; there are intralingual subtitling and interlingual
subtitling. According to Gottlieb (cited in Baker, 1998, p. 247), intralingual subtitling
involves taking speech down in writing, changing its mode but not its language. It is
used when target language is the same with source language. Meanwhile, Cintas
(cited in Anderman & Rogers, 2003, p. 199) described interlingual subtitling as
transferring source text (ST) to target text (TT) where there is a change of language or
transferring source text (ST) to different language of target text (TT). In conclusion,
in intralingual subtitling both the source text and the target text are composed in the
same language, whereas in interlingual subtitling the two texts are composed in
different languages.
In delivering the meaning of a text from source text (ST) to target text (TT), a
translator must consider about the strategies. Gottlieb (as cited in Ghaemi &
Benyamin, 2010, p. 42) proposed a set of translating strategies which are commonly
used by the translator; expansion, transfer, condensation, paraphrase, imitation,
dislocation, decimation, deletion, transcription, and resignation.
There have been some previous researches in conducting translating strategies
on various movies. Zhang and Liu (2009) have done a research about translating
process in the subtitle. In 2010, Ghaemi and Benyamin also have done a research
about the strategies used in translation of interlingual subtitling from target language
(TL) to source language (SL). Afterward, Hosseinnia (2014) has done a research
about translating strategies. She attempted to describe the mostly strategies used by
the translator on children cartoon movies.
This study is specifically designed to explore the translating strategies which
are mostly used in the subtitle of The Raid: Redemption. This study used descriptive
This research is conducted to answer the following research questions:
1. What are the most frequent translating strategies that are used in the
subtitles of The Raid: Redemption movie?
2. What does the quality of the translation on The Raid: Redemption movie
subtitles look like?
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The aims of this study are:
1. To find out translating strategies used in the subtitles of The Raid:
Redemption movie.
2. To analyze the translation quality of the subtitles on The Raid:
Redemption movie.
1.4 Scope of the Study
This study focused on analyzing the translating strategies on The Raid:
Redemption movie subtitles. The analysis focused on the strategies which are mostly
used in that movie; expansion, paraphrase, transfer, imitation, transcription,
dislocation, condensation, decimation, deletion, and resignation proposed by
Gottlieb (1992), and the quality of translation as proposed by Larson (cited in Anari
and Bouali, 2009, p. 80).
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study is significant theoretically and practically. Theoretically, this
research is expected to provide a clear explanation about translating strategies which
are mostly used in The Raid: Redemption movie subtitles. This research also explains
research is important to be carried out because the result of this study can contribute
information and become reference for students of translation courses.
1.6 Clarification of Key Terms
In order to avoid misinterpretation and misunderstanding toward main terms
that will be used in this study, this section will clarify the following terms:
1. Translation is rendering the meaning of a text from one language into
another language in accordance with the intention of the translator
(Newmark, 1988, p. 5).
2. Subtitle is a transfer meaning from one language into another language,
and from spoken dialogue into a written, condensed translation which
appears on the screen (Dries, 1995, p. 26).
3. Translating Strategies is a strategy which is used by a translator when
she/he encounters a problem while translating a text (Owji, 2013, p.4).
1.7 Organization of Paper
In this section, organization paper will be elaborated and the content of each
chapter in the paper is overviewed as follows:
a. Chapter I Introduction: this chapter provides background of the study,
scope of the study, research questions, purpose of the study, significance
of the study, clarification of the key terms, and also organization of this
b. Chapter II Literary Review: this chapter explains theoretical foundation
which provides information to investigate the research problems. The
theories are useful to investigate the data findings.
c. Chapter III Methodology: this chapter describes research methods,
source, techniques of collecting data, techniques of analyzing data, and
synopsis of the movie.
d. Chapter IV Findings and Discussions: this chapter presents the study
after conducting the research and obtaining the necessary data that are
depicted including the analysis of the data using the theoretical
framework.
e. Chapter V Conclusions and Suggestions: this chapter provides the
writer’s interpretation of the research findings in the form of conclusions
and suggestions.
1.8 Concluding Remark
This chapter has presented some aspects underlying the study including
background of the study, statement of problems, purposes of the study, scope of the
study, significance of the study, clarification of key terms, and organization of the
